Passenger protection system which detects closeness of passenger to inner side surface of interior

Abstract

A passenger protection system for a vehicle having a door opening to which a door is attached. The system has an airbag attached in a folded form along an upper edge of the door opening, wherein when being expanded, the airbag is deployed along an inner side surface of an interior of the vehicle in a drawn curtain form; a contact detecting device for detecting a contact action of a passenger in the vehicle with the contact detecting device; and a control device for determining whether a passenger is close to the inner side surface based on a result of detection of the contact detecting device, and prohibiting deployment of the airbag while determining that a passenger is close to the inner side surface. The contact detecting device may have an elongated form in a length direction of the vehicle and consist of divided portions separated in a vertical direction.

1. A passenger protection system for a vehicle having a door opening to which a door is attached, the system comprising:
 an airbag attached in a folded form along an upper edge of the door opening, wherein when being expanded, the airbag is deployed along an inner side surface of an interior of the vehicle in a drawn curtain form; 
 a contact detecting device for detecting a contact action of a passenger in the vehicle with the contact detecting device; and 
 a control device for determining whether a passenger is close to the inner side surface based on a result of detection of the contact detecting device, and prohibiting deployment of the airbag while determining that a passenger is close to the inner side surface, 
 wherein the contact detecting device consists of a plurality of divided portions separated in a vertical direction, wherein each divided portion independently detects the contact action of the passenger. 
 
   
   
     2. The passenger protection system according to  claim 1 , wherein the contact detecting device has an elongated form in a length direction of the vehicle. 
   
   
     3. The passenger protection system according to  claim 2 , wherein: the vehicle has a sliding seat beside the door, which can slide in the length direction of the vehicle; and the contact detecting device has a length by which the contact action of the passenger can be detected wherever the sliding seat is positioned. 
   
   
     4. The passenger protection system according to  claim 1 , wherein each divided portion includes a plurality of spot touch sensors aligned in a length direction of the vehicle. 
   
   
     5. The passenger protection system according to  claim 1 , wherein only when every divided portion detects the contact action, the control device determines that a passenger is close to the inner side surface and prohibits the deployment of the airbag. 
   
   
     6. The passenger protection system according to  claim 1 , wherein when an angle of inclination of the vehicle is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the control device deploys the airbag regardless of a result of detection by the contact detecting device. 
   
   
     7. A passenger protection system for a vehicle having a plurality of door openings to which a door is attached to each opening, the system comprising:
 an airbag attached in a folded form along an upper edge of the plurality of door openings, wherein when being expanded, the airbag is deployed along an inner side surface of an interior of the vehicle in a drawn curtain form; 
 a contact detecting device provided for each door for detecting a contact action of a passenger in the vehicle with the contact detecting device; and 
 a control device for determining whether a passenger is close to the inner side surface based on a result of detection of the contact detecting device, 
 wherein each contact detecting device consists of a plurality of divided portions separated in a vertical direction, 
 wherein each divided portion independently detects the contact action of the passenger for each contact detecting device, 
 wherein the control device determines that a passenger is close to the inner side surface only when every divided portion of the contact detecting device detects the contact action, and 
 wherein the control device prohibits the deployment of the airbag while determining that any passenger is close to the inner side surface based on a result of detection of any contact detecting device.